Metacognitive Monitoring of Internal and External Storage and Retrieval

Evan Risko, University of Waterloo, waterloo

Connor Gaspar, University of Waterloo, waterloo

Dave McLean, University of Waterloo, waterloo

Tim Dunn, University of Waterloo, waterloo

Derek Koehler, University of Waterloo, waterloo

Abstract

The ability to monitor our cognitive performance (i.e.,
metacognitive monitoring) is central to efficient functioning. Research
investigating this ability has focused largely on tasks that rely exclusively on
internal processes. However, our day-to-day cognitive activities often consist of
mixes of internal and external processes. For example, we can offload memory
demands onto external media (e.g., computers, paper). In the present
investigation, we expand research on the metacognitive monitoring of performance
to this domain. Specifically, we examine participant’s ability to
accurately monitor their performance in tasks that require them to rely on only
their internal processes (e.g., short term memory to remember a series of
letters) and tasks that require them to rely on both (e.g., paper and pencil to
remember a series of letters). Results suggest that the former results in
superior monitoring relative to the latter. Implications for understanding
metacognition in more distributed cognitive domains will be discussed.